


The One Where The Answer Is No

by stardust_writer



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Modern AU, Secret Relationship, i don't know how to tag and what to tag, someone please help me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23108722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardust_writer/pseuds/stardust_writer
Summary: Arthur and Merlin just wanted some time alone. You'd think a bathroom would have some privacy, but apparently not.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 118
Collections: Camelot Drabble — Prompt #402:Random Dialogue 1





	The One Where The Answer Is No

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on LiveJournal, written for camelot-drabble prompt #402: "Whatever you're going to ask, the answer is no!".
> 
> This work was inspired by an opening scene in FRIENDS. I didn't have this beta'd, but I did do some proofreading before posting this on here. Still, please forgive any errors!

Maybe it was the warmth of the water and the abundance of bubbles in the tub, or the lit scented candles scattered around the bathroom, or maybe the expensive wine in his hand, but Merlin was relaxed. Or perhaps it was that he was sharing all this with Arthur.

“Told you this would make you feel better,” Arthur says, taking another sip from his own glass of wine.

“I just don’t feel so good about lying to our friends, you know that.” Merlin fiddles with his wine glass.

“And I get it—” Arthur lifts a hand out of the water and caresses Merlin’s cheek. “—but we both know how big of a deal they’ll turn our relationship into. Let’s just give it another week, or so. By then, we’d have been going out for a month and we’ll be comfortable enough to say something.”

Merlin hums. When he and Arthur first got together, they agreed to keep it a secret. Their friends had been trying for years to push them into a relationship and they didn’t feel too keen to see their smug faces just yet.

“You’re right,” he sighs.

Arthur smiles and moves just a little bit forward to place his forehead against Merlin’s.

“Of course I am.”

Merlin huffs out a laugh, but leans in for a kiss anyway. They could have actually gotten to the kiss part if not for the sudden, loud knocking coming from the door.

“Arthur, I’m coming in!”

Merlin only had a second to shove his wine glass in Arthur’s free hand and dive under the bath water, before the door flew open.

“Morgana!” Arthur squawks.

Arthur sees her scan the bathroom with confusion.

“Are you...okay?”

“Yes—Yes, I’m fine—what do you want?”

She cocks a neatly done eyebrow at him and he just glares.

“I was just checking to see if you’ll be coming to dinner tomorrow evening. Father’s been asking when you’d come by.”

“You couldn’t have just sent me a text? Or called?”

“We both know that I’ll never get an answer if I had gone that way.”

“Christ, no, Morgana. I will not be available for dinner tomorrow, can you please leave now?”

“Alright, alright! You’re so prickly today.”

“That’s because you barged in on me while I was in the bath you bi—!”

As soon as Morgana had shut the door, Arthur placed the wine glasses on the tiled floor and pulled Merlin out of the water.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry! Morgana has no sense of personal space.”

Merlin takes a deep breath. A small laugh escapes his lips. “I think we all knew that.”

There’s a moment of silence, one where Arthur just watches Merlin and the way the water slips down from his hair, to his face, and then his neck. Merlin meets his gaze, and suddenly they're right back to before Morgana had interrupted them. They lean in, slow and romantic, at the same time—

There’s a knock on the door.

“Arthur, are you still in there?” It was Leon.

Arthur’s lips fall into a thin, tight line. “Yes, Leon. What is it?”

“We were just going to head out with Elyan, Gwen, and Morgana,” This was Lancelot speaking now. Arthur curses his past self for deciding to share a flat with nearly all his friends. “D’you want to come along?”

Had this happened at another point in time, Merlin might actually be laughing at the vein in Arthur’s head that was ready to burst. Unfortunately, he was also pretty attached to the idea of making out with his secret boyfriend.

“No, guys,” Arthur growls through gritted teeth. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m still in the bath. So please, go ahead without me.”

Murmurs of agreement and goodbye are heard through the door, then the shuffle of footsteps and close of the flat’s door.

“Fucking finally!” Arthur huffs.

Merlin doesn’t waste any time. He leans into Arthur, capturing his lips in a long, sweet kiss. Arthur has no qualms. In fact, he leans back in for another. He wraps his arms around Merlin’s torso and—

There’s more knocking. The only possible person left in the flat was Gwaine. He always had such terrible timing, but Arthur and Merlin both think they could strangle him right now.

“For bloody fuck’s sake!”

“Arthur—”

“No, Gwaine!” He shouts. “Whatever you’re going to ask, the answer is no!”

There was a short pause before they heard cackling from the other side of the door.

“Alright, I just wanted to bother you before I head out. Say hi to Merlin for me!”

The two of them are left to gape at the door as Gwaine’s footsteps fade.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://stardust-writer.tumblr.com/) and [livejournal](https://stardust.livejournal.com/)!


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